The University of Wisconsin football program, to which the Sturgis High School junior quarterback is committed, rolled Nebraska last Saturday night in the Big Ten Conference title game and earned its third straight Rose Bowl trip.

Stewart's high school basketball season was about ready to start, so he was excited about that.

"I came home from school and I got a call from a reporter. He said, 'Chance, you need to go to ESPN.com.' I was like, 'All right, what's wrong?' He was like, 'Your head coach just left,'" Stewart said about Wisconsin's Bret Bielema leaving for the Arkansas head-coaching job.

"I was thinking, 'What's going on?' At first I didn't believe it – I was like, 'There's no way. We just won the Big Ten title game by 40 points. Why would he do that? Three Rose Bowls in a row.' I go to the web site and it was 'Bielema to Arkansas.'"

Stewart finished 6-of-9 shooting for the game, but got only one shot in the second half in large part because Loy Norrix forced Sturgis into 16 turnovers (12 in the fourth quarter). The Knights rallied from a 45-26 deficit with 1:15 left in the third.

"He's a monster, to be honest with you," Loy Norrix coach Matt Covault said about Stewart. "He's smart. He knows what his limitations are, so you never see him go out beyond 15 feet and try to shoot or anything. He counts on his teammates, sets great screens, he's hard-nosed. He's a guy that you want on your team."

Stewart fell in love with Wisconsin's program and campus, and committed in early-August. The 4-star-rated, pro-style QB has been all about the Badgers' red-and-white.

Tuesday's news had to be shocking, but you wouldn't have known it based on his two performances on the hardwood this week. In Tuesday night's win at Three Rivers, Stewart delivered 12 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.

"Chance is a first-class person – just great character, great work ethic, positive attitude. Just uplifting, and he's one of the hardest competitors I've ever coached," Sturgis basketball coach Keith Kurowski said after Friday's crushing loss. "He left it all out on the floor tonight; pretty much carried us on both ends of the floor between his scoring and defensive rebounding. ... He's the kind of kid that comes around in a program once in maybe 20 years. I'm just fortunate to be his high school coach.

"He's mature well beyond his years. His maturity and leadership is really refreshing. He's such a positive kid and a hard worker and competitor, that things will work out for him."

Stewart credits his father, Chad – a former baseball player at Eastern Michigan University – for keeping him humble.

Chance Stewart, a third-year varsity basketball starter who is also a first-team Kalamazoo Gazette all-area baseball player, said that no other college football programs have contacted him yet since Bielema left.

Stewart said he has spoken with Wisconsin tight ends coach Eddie Faulkner, who was a primary recruiter.

"I talked to coach Faulkner the other day and he was like, 'Chance, I don't know. I'm just where you are. I'll get to you as soon as I know anything.' And I haven't heard back," Stewart said. "I've talked to a couple of recruits and they have no idea. We're all just still at a loss – we have no idea what happened. We're just going to wait it out, see what happens."

Stewart also received an offer from Western Michigan University, according to Rivals.com, which listed Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Toledo and Bowling Green among his options.

"Yeah, I'm crushed a little bit. I mean, that stinks. That was the coach that I committed to, I really liked him, and that happens," said Stewart, who is doing his best to focus on basketball and school.

"It's just, people want to talk about it. I don't really let it be a distraction. When I'm playing basketball, I'm thinking about basketball – not thinking about Wisconsin. Just going along with everything, getting ready for another big game Tuesday against (Battle Creek) Lakeview."